Mr Red Light actress Jess Sayer on what travel has taught her

Kiwi actor Jess Sayer has learnt a lot from her travels. Photo / Sara Wiseman

Actor Jess Sayer says a spur-of-the-moment trip to Sydney is still one of her favourites.

I love travel and everything about it (apart from packing – which I have never and will never master).

I grew up in Brunei and was lucky enough to spend most of my childhood travelling with my family. It taught me a lot – about myself and the world – and I have no doubt I'd be a different person without those experiences.

But in more recent years, these are some things I have learnt:

• Exploring your own country is just as exciting and rewarding as exploring the world. I don't think we do this enough.

• Travel alone. The first time I went away for a week – just me and my dog – I was terrified. I usually surround myself with people. But it was the most magic experience, and now I do it as often as I can.

• Gin is a good idea, anywhere.

• Be impulsive. Some friends and I decided to go to Sydney one afternoon and flew out the next morning – with no plans other than just getting there. It's still one of my absolute favourite trips.

• If you're flying, don't leave a lighter in your jeans pocket, forget about it, then pack those jeans into a carry-on bag.

• Adventure doesn't have to be huge or expensive to be life-changing.

• Don't blindly trust a smiling woman on a boat who offers to take a photo of you and your friend in front of a cool bridge. This will only result in disappointment and regret... as you will see below.

Asking a smiling stranger to take a photo of you and your friend doesn't always end with good results, as Kiwi actor Jess Sayer discovered. Photo / Supplied

Jess Sayer appears in Mr Red Light, playing at Auckland's Herald Theatre until September 22, before heading on tour to Oamaru, Dunedin, Wanaka, Nelson, Blenheim and Tauranga. Details available at nightsong.co.nz